Rotary brush cleaning machine



Sept. 19, 1961 swo ns ROTARY BRUSH CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31,

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3,000,027 ROTARY BRUSH CLEANING MACHINE Herman L. Swords, Rte. 2, Minford, Ohio Filed Dec. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 863,186 4 Claims. (Cl, 15-21) This invention relates to a novel and improved powerdriven rotary brush cleaning machine for implements and tools, such as barbers clippers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a practical, efficient and fast-cleaning machine of the kind indicated, which is designed for easy mounting on a support, such as a wall, adjacent to the place of use of an implement, and which is put into operation merely by insertion of an implement into its housing for engaging the brush therein, and stopped by removal of the implement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated above wherein the rotary brush is readily removable and replaceable for cleaning, a scraper is provided for removing particles unmoved from an implement as the brush rotates, and a cup is provided to receive the removed particles and is removable from the housing for emptying and cleaning.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and relatively inexpensive machine of the character indicated above which is composed of a small number of uncomplex and easily assembled parts.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, partly broken way, and in section, of a machine of the invention, shown mounted on a wall in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated machine comprises a horizontally elongated hollow housing having an open upper end 12, and Walls 14 and 16, a back wall 18, a front wall 20, and an abbreviated bottom wall 22. The abbreviated bottom wall 22 extends longitudinally inwardly from the end wall 14 only as fa as a point intermediate the ends of the housing 10 and joins the lower end of a fixed vertical transverse partition wall 24 which extends between the back wall 18 and the front wall 20. The open upper end 12 of the housing is closed by a removable cover 26 which is preferably an inverted pan-shape having a flat web 28 from which depends a peripheral side wall 30, which is preferably convex-concave in cross section. The cover side wall 30 has a lower edge 32 which rests upon the upper end 12 of the housing, and a depending rib 34 which seats in the upper end of the housing and bears against the inward sides of the walls thereof, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Removal of the cover 26 provides free access to the interior of the housing 10, for cleaning purposes, and for servicing and/ or replacing operating components enclosed in the housing.

The space at the bottom of the housing 10, provided by the absence of a bottom wall between the partition wall 24, the housing end wall 16, the back wall 18, and the front wall 20, constitutes a particle discharge opening 36 around the inward sides of the four sides of which extends a guide or chute lip 38 which has an inwardly and downwardly declining chute surface 40 which merges into the inward wall surfaces around the opening, for guiding particles downwardly and inwardly through the opening 36. On and extending around the lower end of the lip 38 is an inwardly offset rib 42 which extends below the bottom of the housing 10.

Removably engaged, as frictionally, with the outward side of the rib 42, is the open upper end of a rectangular particle receiving cup 44.

As shown in FIGURE 3, an electric motor 46 is mounted horizontally in the housing 10 between the end wall 14 and the partition wall 24, as by studs 48 extending through the end wall 14 into an end of the motor casing 50. The motor has a shaft 52 which extends toward and is spaced from the partition wall 24. A horizontal cleaning brush assembly 54 is mounted in the housing 10 on and between the partition wall 24 and the end wall 16, in line with the motor shaft 52.

The brush assembly 54 comprises a symmetrical polygonal shaft 56 on which is non-rotatably circumposed a non-metallic core 58 to which radially extending brush bristles 60 are fixed, and which are arranged to provide a substantially cylindrical brush 62. The core 58 is slightly shorter than the distance between the partition wall 24 and the housing end wall 16. Non-rotatably and slidably circumposed on the shaft 56 are similar inner and outer channel bearings 64 and 66, whose cylindrical bodies 68 are journaled in openings 70 and 72, formed in the walls 24 and 26, respectively. The walls 24 and 16 have enlarged cross section annular bearings 76 and 78 which surround the openings 70 and 72, respectively, and provided relatively wide bearing surfaces 80 and 82, respectively, in which the channel bearing bodies 68 turn, and with related ends of which the channel bearing flanges 74 are engaged. The channel bearings 64 and 66 are preferably made of bronze or other relatively frictionless or lubricated material.

The shaft 56 has an outer end 84 which extends longitudinally outwardly beyond the outer channel bearing 66, which is engaged by a spring returning arm 86, which is fixed, at one end, to the housing end wall 16, atone side of the bearing 66, as indicated at 88. The inward end of the shaft 56 projects inwardly beyond the inward channel bearing 64, which it is operatively connected to the motor shaft 52, as by means of a coupling sleeve 90, preferably of bronze, suitably secured to the motor shaft and the brush shaft 56, as by means of set screws 92 and 94, respectively.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the motor 46 and the brush assembly 54 are forwardly oifset in the housing 10 on a midheight level in the housing 10, so as to provide relatively greater clearances between the brush 62 and the housing back wall 18, and between the top of the housing and the discharge opening 36, with the front side of the brush 62 projecting slightly forwardly through a rectangular opening 96 which is provided in the housing front wall 20 and Whose edges are disposed in close conformity to the brush 62, as shown in FIGURE 2. Louvres 98 are provided in the housing front wall 20, betweeen the end wall 14 and the partition wall 24, for cooling the motor 46.

For scraping particles from the underpart of the brush 62, at the rear thereof, as the brush is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, or forwardly, as indicated in FIG- URE 4, so that the scraped particles are removed from the brush and fall through the discharge opening 36, and into the cup 44, a scraper assembly 100 is provided above the lip 38. The assembly 100 comprises a horizontal longitudinal bar 102 which extends between and is suitably fixed at its ends to the partition wall 24 and the housing end wall 16, and is inclined forwardly and upwardly toward the brush 62. A non-metallic and preferably resilient blade or fin 104 has its rear edge set in a slot 106 provided in the forward edge of the bar 102, and has a forward edge 108 which is positioned to engage and slightly indent the peripheral surface of the brush 62, as the brush is rotated.

For starting and stopping the motor 46, a switch 110 is provided which can comprise a casing 112 which is fixed, as indicated at 112, to the surface of the lip 38 at a location preferably midway between the ends of and below the lower edge 114 of the front Wall opening 96, as shown in FIGURE 4. The switch 110 has an upstanding spring-biased actuating arm 116 which rises from the casing 112 and extends above the opening edge 114, and has on its upper end a rearwardly and upwardly directed terminal 118. The terminal 118 is provided for harmless cam engagement with the underside of an implement, such as the cutter head 120 of a barbers hair clipper 122, for operating the switch. Slight downward and rearward pressure upon the terminal 118, by the head 120 as the head 120 is passed through the opening 96 and held in engagement with the underpart of the brush 62, for cleaning the head of hair particles, closes the switch 110, energizes the motor 46 and rotates the brush 62. As the clipper head'120 is withdrawn through the opening 96, after being cleaned by the brush 62, and moves oif the terminal 118, the actuating arm 116 is freed to move to circuit closing position and stop the motor 46 and the brush 62.

Suitable electrical connections to the motor 46 and to the switch 110 can comprise an appliance cord 124 leading into the housing through a grommet 126 secured in an opening in the abbreviated housing bottom wall 22, and having individual wires 128, i130 and 132, which are severally connected, in suitable manner, to the motor and the switch.

The machine can be mounted in any suitable manner, on any suitable support, as by means of screws 134 extending rearwardly through openings 136, provided in the housing back wall 18, and screwed into a wall 138.

-Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary brush cleaning machine comprising a horizontally elongated closed hollow housing having first and second end walls, a back wall, a front wall, and an abbreviated bottom wall, said abbreviated bottom wall being spaced from said second end wall to define a particle discharge opening, a vertical transverse partition wall extending across the housing and spaced from said first end Wall, an electric motor mounted in the casing between said first end wall and said partition Wall, a horizontal rotary brush extending between and journaled in said partition wall and said second end wall, means operatively connecting the motor to the brush, said brush being positioned over said discharge opening, said front wall having an opening exposing the forward side of the brush, said motor being mounted on the first end wall and having a shaft axially aligned with the brush, said brush comprising a polygonal shaft, a core non-rotatably circumposed on the polygonal shaft, and a cylindrical bristle-equipped brush element surrounding and fixed to the core, said polygonal shaft having bearings non-rotatably engaged on its ends located outwardly of the ends of the core, said partition wall and saidsecond end wall having bearing openings in which said bearings turn, and a coupling separably connected to the motor shaft to the adjacent end of the polygonal shaft.

2. A rotary brush cleaning machine comprising a horizontally elongated closed hollow housing having first and second end walls, a back wall, a front wall, and an abbreviated bottom wall, said abbreviated bottom wall being spaced from said second end wall to define a particle discharge opening, a vertical transverse partition wall extending across the housing and spaced from said first end wall, an electric motor mounted in the casing between said first end wall and said partition wall, a horizontal rotary brush extending between and journaled in said partition wall and said second end wall, means operatively connecting the motor to the brush, said brush being positioned over said discharge opening, said front wall having an opening exposing the for-ward side of the brush, said motor being mounted on' the first end wall and having a shaft axially aligned with the brush, said brush comprising a polygonal shaft, a core non-rotatably circumposed on the polygonal shaft, and a cylindrical bristle-equipped brush element surrounding and fixed to the core, said polygonal shaft having bearings nonrotatably engaged on its ends located outwardly of the ends of the core, said partition wall and said second end wall having bearing openings in which said bearings turn, and a coupling separably connected to the motor shaft to the adjacent end of the polygonal shaft, said housing having an open upper end providing access to the motor, the coupling, and the brush, and a removable cover engaged with and closing said upper end.

3. A rotary brush cleaning machine comprising a horizontally elongated closed hollow housing having first and second end walls, a back wall, a front wall, and

an abbreviated bottom wall, said abbreviated bottom wall being spaced from said second end wall to define a particle discharge opening, a vertical transverse partition wall extending across the housing and spaced from said first end wall, an electric motor mounted in the casing between said first end wall and said partition wall, a horizontal rotary brush extending between and journaled in said partition wall and said second end wall, means operatively connecting the motor to the brush, said brush being positioned over said discharge opening, said front wall having an opening exposing the forward side of the brush, said motor being mounted on the first end Wall and having a shaft axially aligned with the brush, said brush comprising a polygonal shaft, a core non-rotatably circumposed on the polygonal shaft, and a cylindrical bristle-equipped brush element surrounding and fixed to the core, said polygonal shaft having bearings non-rotatably engaged on its ends located outwardly of the ends of the core, said partition wall and said secondend wall having bearing openings in which said bearings turn, and a coupling separably connected to the motor shaft to the adjacent end of the polygonal shaft, said polygonal shaft bearings being channel bearings having bodies turning in said bearing openings and flanges engaging 0pposite sides of the partition wall and the second'end wall.

4. A rotary brush cleaning machine comprising a horizontally elongated closed hollow housing having first and second end walls, a back wall, a front wall, and anabbreviated bottom wall, said abbreviated bottom wall being spaced from said second end wall to define a particle discharge opening, a vertical transverse partition wall extending across the housing and spaced from said first end wall, an electric motor mounted in the casing between said first end wall and said partition wall, a horizontal rotary brush extending between and journaled in said partition wall and said second end wall, means operatively connecting the motor to the brush, said brush being positioned over said discharge opening, said front wall having an. opening exposing the forward side of the brush, said motor being mounted on the first end wall and having a shaft axially aligned with the brush, said brush comprising a polygonal shaft, a core non-rotatably circumposed on the polygonal shaft, and a cylindrical bristle-equipped brush, element surrounding and. fixed to the core, said polygonal shaft having bearings non-rotatably engaged on its ends located outwardly of the ends of the core, said partition wall and said second end wall having bearing openings in which said bearings turn, and a coupling separably connected to the motor shaft to the adjacent end of the polygonal shaft, said channel bearings being slidable on the polygonal shaft, said polygonal shaft having an outer end exposed beyond said second end wall, and a resilient arm fixed on the exterior of the second end wall and biased inwardly into engagement with the outer end of the polygonal shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kozak Oct. 29, 1918 Oertli Feb. 13, 1923 Snider Jan. 4, 1927 1Conklin Mar. 1, 1949 Turner et a1 June 26, 1956 Gerber Dec. 16, 1958 

